striving or contending?

Su --

There are some sites that some of us just have to
learn to stay away from. Me? I need to learn to
stay away from the Arminian / Calvinist site.

I have many questions about Arminianism and
Cavinism, but when I ask, people either get all
bent out of shape or they are afraid to answer.
The attitudes there are Incredible!

Well, people get so passionate about music, too,
not realizing that what they are fussing over are
mere personal preferences, not theological
foundations.

 

i think you were basically correct - music inspires emotion, and not all emotions are appropriate at all times, especially in the worship of god.

imo, you should make your case, answer reasonable objections, and then drop it. given the pride inherent in many (even christians), you should never expect for someone to change or admit changing their mind in a public debate. but then again, the point isn't to win some debate, right? instead aim to plant seeds that may later come to fruition in your debate partner or the debate's many silent observers.

so keep up the good work, but learn when to drop it. also keep in mind that, excepting concepts very clearly taught in scripture, it's just possible you might be wrong. let that awareness shine through whenever possible

just my 2 cents

[ March 11, 2003, 09:37 AM: Message edited by: timothy 1969 ]

 

I agree some times some discussions do get overheated. I have to check myself alot whether to get in a discussion or say more than I should in a discussion. But it does matter what the discussion is about and has the main question been answered.

 

"And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But, and if ye suffer for righteousness sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you the reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: having a good conscious; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ."
IPet 3:13-16

Don't give up in what you know is right, Su Wei. The road for Christ is not to be expected as easy.

 

3054 logomacheo (log-om-akh-eh'-o); from a compound of 3056 and 3164; to be disputatious (on trifles):
KJV-- strive about words.

Of course, if you disagree with someone they say you are concerned about minor and not major issues.

A good example is arguing over how often we participate in the Lord's Supper. Since there is no prescribed timetable or frequency to spend hours in debate over this is striving over words and it is futile.

Being in a strong debate over the Virgin Birth or any of the major doctrines would not be what Paul was talking about when he tells us to not strive over words.

3164 machomai (makh'-om-ahee); middle voice of an apparently primary verb; to war, i.e. figuratively) to quarrel, dispute:
KJV-- fight, strive.

You don't fight for the sake of fighting and ready to come to blows at the drop of a hat. It speaks to temperance of a pastor-teacher. Again an impassioned debate or presentation of truth is not the kind of fighting or striving taught here.

When all else fails get down to name calling and
casting people into Hell is the kind of fighting and striving Pauls warns against. Now, there are times when that is even appropriate for even Christ John the Baptist and Paul did this. However, this is not to be the main method of your apologetics or polemics.

1864 epagonizomai (ep-ag-o-nid'-zom-ahee); from 1909 and 75; to struggle for:
KJV-- earnestly contend foreign

In the marketplace of ideas, you must struggle or contend for the faith to be heard and understood as the ultimatum and unltimate truth that it is for souls to be saved. That can be quite a fight in this age of non-absolutes and false tolerance.

The lad that called me a heretic (if he can rightly prove it) had a right to call me that and seek to "convert" me to the truth. Calling my soul putrid is a bit over the edge.

In a face to face confrontation a heretic after the first or second admonition is to be rejected or basically ignored and you have nothing to do with him. In a forum such as this, the same discussions come up again and again so you rehash the arguments for the benefit of the new person though the ones who normally respond have seen each other's arguments 100 times.

Bottom line might be to fight but not like the World fights and be wise enough to discern when the fight is waste of your time. Redeem the time for the days are evil.

 

Glad to have the old cowboy back, keep up the
good work Maverick.
Murph

 

If we would ever learn the difference between our convictions and our preferences; we would not strive to change others so much.

If I have a conviction, it is futile for anyone to try to make me change it.

If I have a preference I may change it, through calm and scripturally based advice, but certainly not by someone arguing with me about it.


Sue

 

I have come to the conclusion that at least 80% of the "arguments" pro or con on virtually any issue are for the purpose of making the poster feel good rather that honestly attempting to convey information. An honest attempt to pass on info, less the ego factor involved, would eliminate scads of posts.

If I had followed my first impulse on many threads, I would probably have triple the posts I now have. Many's the response I've typed, read, and then deleted, simply because all I could see therein was an attack as opposed to some info xfer.

 

Su;

After you have been here awhile, you will learn who these people are and avoid discussions that they participate in because they will not listen.


Sue

 

Sonme things are worth defending and some aren't significant enough to risk alienating someone over. I have enjoyed many, many threads on this board and a few have left a bad taste in my mouth. I have learned one VERY important lesson, though. When I first started posting a few months ago I tended to get argumentative and occasionally somewhat less than polite (rude ). I think I have learned to make my case with a little more tact and, as a result, have had some very pleasant "discussions" with folks that I disagree with rather than "arguments" with "people who don't know what they're talking about".

I have also learned a few things, too. I haven't changed my mind on anything particularly but, something that my opinion might have been a 9.5 on has been softened to a 7.5 or vice-versa, because of someone saying something in a way that I had not considered before.